Shade adjusting and holding mechanism.



Paiented Oct. 8, 190|.

H. H. & G. H. FORSYTH.

SHADEDJUSTING AND HULDING MECHANISM.

(Application tiled Apr. 4, 1898 5 (No Model.)

me wams mens co, wormumo., Mimmo-ron. n. c.

I lugs F'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. FORSYTH AND GEORGE H. FORSYTI-I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNORS TO THE CURTAIN SUPPLY COMPANY, AND JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

OF SAME PLACE SHADE ADJUSTING AND HOLDING MECHANISM.

SPEGIFEGATIQN forming part of Letters lPatent No. 684,214, dated October 8, 1901.

Application filed April 4, 1896. Serial No. 586,248. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY H. FoRsYTH and GEORGE H. FORSYTH,of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shade Adjusting and Holding Mechanisms, of which the followingisa speciiication.

This invention. relates to that class of devices which are used to hold spring-actuated window shades or curtains in any position to which they may be adjusted, and more particularly to that class of shade-holding devices in which cords are employed as the means for guidingland holding the shade.

The object of the invention is to provide means of this kind which shall be very simple in construction and operation and therefore economical, readily applied, and easily removed or repaired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis an elevation, partly in section, through one side of a window-casing. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view; and Fig. 3, an enlarged detail showing oneyend of the shade-stick in side elevation. Fig. 4 is an end view thereof, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of a looped end of the cord and a collar used therewith. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views showing the endless cord passing through apertures of the tip or head.

In the drawings, A represents the curtain, which is mounted on the usual spring-actuated shade-roller B and is provided in its lower edge with a shade-stick C. Said shadestick in the form shown has a tubular body, and light spiral springs D are arranged in the ends of said tubular body and have a bearing thereon. Within the outer ends of the tubular-body sections C are arranged sliding tubes E, having a slot-and-pin connection with said tubular body, the slot being marked c and the pin e. lVithin the outer ends of the tubes E work the stemsf of a tip F, said tip having ou its outer end jaws or lugs f', lwith a vertical slot between said jaws or lugs. The tip or head F has also the perforated To these lugs F' is connected an endless cord, which is doubled upon itself and passesover pulleys, by which it is guided and controlled. In the illustration shown in the drawings and which is the preferred form the pulleys are located at the four corners of the frame and are marked in series G, H, I, and J. The cord K may be attached to the lugs of the tip or head without severing said cord by passing it through the apertures of thelug, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the friction of the cord being suiicient to prevent its slipping through the head; but in the form shown in Figs. l, 2, and 5 two of the strands of the cord are severed and the foursevered ends are secured to the tips or heads by being passed through the apertures of the lugs F and doubled upon the body of the cord and secured thereto by the keepers or split collars k. (Shown in Fig. 5.) The pulleys are located in grooves L, formed in the windowstops, and the vertical strands of the cords may be entirely concealed therein. In order to prevent the strands of the cord which are not attached to the heads F from coming out of the grooves, said strands pass between the lugs ff and are thereby held within the groove. Now it will be obvious that upon raising or lowering the shade by applying sufficient force to its lower margin to overcome the frictional rresistance of thecord the strands which are attached to the tips or heads will ascend or descend, according to the direction of movement, while the other strands of the cords will move in the opposite direction. There are two of the 'pulleys G andr two of the pulleys H. Following the strands around these various pulleys the strand attached to the upper of the lugs F on the right-hand end of the fixture passes up over the rear member ot' the pair of pulleys H, thence over the rear one of the pulleys G, thence down between the lugs f on the opposite tip or head and around the pulley I'from its rear side, thence up, and is made fast to the lower of the lugs F at the left-hand end of the shade-stick. The strand which is made fast to the upper of the lugs F at the left-hand side of the shade passes up over the front member of the pair of pulleys G, thence over the front member of the pair of pulleys H, thence down between the lugs f of the tip at the right-hand side of the shade, thence down around the pulley .I from IOO the rear and up to the lower lug F at the same side of the shade. Now obviously when the shade is moved up the pull is equal on both ends, no matter where the force be applied, and the same is true when the pull is in a downward direction, it thus being impossible to move the curtain out of its horizontal position, while the heads or tips projecting in theY grooves prevent its being moved out of its normal plane. Thus there is provided on each side of the shade au ascending and a descending strand of the cord and all of the strands move simultaneously and in unison, two of the strands ascending while the others are descending. The inside strands move in one direction and the outside strands move in the opposite direction, the inside strands being attached to the shadestick. If it be desired to disconnect the Shade from the operating-cord, it may be readily done by forcing the tube E inwardly, compressing its spring until the stem fclears the end of such sliding tube. Both ends may be similarly disconnected, and by this simple means the shade can be removed and any of the parts renewed or repaired and the window exposed for cleaning. 4

While the arrangement shown is preferred, obviously it may be changed within the scope of the invention. For example, the strands which are shown as passing across the top of the window may be arranged to cross at the bottom instead and instead of running around three sides of the window the cords may be extended entirely around the window. These and other similar variations in the arrangement of the parts may be made while preserving the essential features of our inven` tion, as will be pointed out in the claims. The matter of connecting the cord to the curtain may also be varied.

Our invention is adapted for general use, but especially adapted for use in street-railway ears, where economy and simplicity in construction and ease of working are much desired. The construction described to facilitate the disconnecting of the shade from the cord also permits of the use of our invention when there is a wide range of variation in the depths of the grooves, in the width or distance between the bottoms of the grooves, or other inaccuracies or variations in the construction of the window or shade. This is accomplished by having the sliding sections E backed up by the springs D, which at all times maintain the tips Within the grooves, and thereby maintain the shade in its normal vertical plane and insures the retention of the outer strands of the cord within the grooves. In the use of these devices a certain amount of slack will be produced, which may be taken up from time to time by releasing any one of the attached ends and drawing upon it until the slack is taken up and again fastening the cord. Obviously it is only necessary to release the cord at one place in order to take up the slack at its outer end, the cord being continuous. It will be observed also that the slack will be distributed throughout the length of the cord and that there is no .un-'- equal strain or wearupon any portion of theY cord. It will be noticed that the lower pulleys are set in housings N, fitted into recesses in the grooves, so that av large rollex` can be;V

used'and yet confined within theV depth of the il slot.

them.

We do not limit our invention to the precise details of construction shown and described. That feature of the invention relative to the provision of means whereby the shade may be readily disconnected from theY Y Thesen.'V detachable heads may b e constructed in vashade-operating cords is important.

rions ways. Y

WVe claiml. In a shade-holding mechanism, the eom-V Y bination with a shade-stick having a longitudinally-sliding section, a spring tending to thrust said section outwardly, a tip or head mounted upon the sliding section, and an adjusting-cord connected to the tip, substantially as described.

2. In ashade-holdingmechanism, the com- Y bination with a shade-stick having a. longitudinally-sliding section, a spring tending toV thrust said section outwardly and a tip or head detachably connectedto saidslidingsections, substantially as described.

3. In a shade-holding mechanism, the combination with a shade-stick composed of a tubular body, longitudinally-sliding tubular sections telescoped with the body and having' y also a slot and pin connection therewith, Y .Y Y

I Io Y 'Y springs seated within the hollow of the body and bearing upon said sliding sections and tips or heads having Shanks sliding within said sections, substantially as described.Y

4. The combination with a shade-stick having a plurality of sections movable endwise with relation to each other, and tips or heads 105,VV Y

V 'Y Y detachably connected with` the slidingsec- 'Y tions, said tips having projecting lugs separated to provide vertical grooves and an adj usting mechanism consisting of an endless cord doubled upon itself, two of the strands whereof are attached to said tips or heads and the remaining strands whereof are guided l in the grooves thereof, substantially as Ydescribed.

5. In a shade holding and adjusting mechanism, the combination with the shade hav 'Y ing a shade-stick provided with springf Y mounted heads, an endless cord doubled upon Y Y, Y

itself, single guide-pul1eys arranged at the bottom of the frame over which the strands are turned and said strands leading across the top of the windows and double pulleys Y arranged at the upper corners of the window 684,214F i l Ys3 and adapted each to receive strands of the elating-cords connected with said tips or running cord, substantially as described. heads, substantially as described.

6. In a shade-holdin@ mechanism the combination with a shade-lstick, of tips or heads 3 having a telescoping connection With said shade-stick and outwardly-forcing springs l 'tnesses: carried by the shade-stick and adapted to FREDERICK C. GOODWIN,

press said tips or heads outwardly, and op- E. L. HUBER. 

